


Annals of the Liberty Avenue Strangler

by bjfic_archivist



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-07-31
Updated: 2003-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-27 12:23:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 8,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12081012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bjfic_archivist/pseuds/bjfic_archivist
Summary: A murder mystery.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from IrishCaelan, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Brian_Justin_Fanfiction_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in September 2017. I posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bjfic/profile).

It's November again and the Pittsburgh gay community has to prepare itself for the inevitable murder by the Liberty Avenue Strangler. 

The murders had started in November of 2001 when the strangled body of Jason Kemp was found, in the dumpster behind the Liberty Diner, by Deb Novotny. In 2002 on the 18th of November another young, blond, slightly built man was found strangled in the dumpster behind a local florist on Tremont. In 2003 the body was found on the 4th under a pile of scrap lumber on a construction site. Again the victim was young, blond, and slightly built. When a body of a young, blond, and slightly built man was found on November 20th 2004 the Pittsburgh police admitted publicly that there was a serial killer loose in the Liberty Avenue community but since the killer only struck once a year it would be very hard to catch the killer unless he made a mistake of some kind. Every year the body of a young, slightly built, blond man was found somewhere in the community. Every one was strangled and most were found in dumpsters but all were hidden to some degree. 

Every year the murder occurred in November but randomly in that month. After finding a body for the 3rd time, in 2011, in the Liberty Diner dumpster Deb Novotny refused to go to the dumpster for any reason on any day of the year. In 2012 community leaders encouraged all blonds under the age of 30 to dye their hair. For the first and only time the killer left a note on the body of the youngster killed that year. BORN BLOND IS WHAT COUNTS. Based on the note the authorities decided that the killer disliked blonds. Based on the similar build of all of the victims the authorities decided the killer was trying to punish one particular person but for some reason was unable to actually kill that person and so took his rage out on others with a similar look. 

In 2013 no body was found until December 3rd, the community had thought that the streak of murders was over but the autopsy showed that the victim had been killed at least a week earlier but had been hidden more carefully than in previous years. The body in 2014 was found on the 1st of November but the autopsy showed that he was killed only a few hours before the body was found and the body was barely hidden under some newspapers. In 2015 the victim was the oldest yet at 29. 

On Thanksgiving Day 2016 the body of the yearly victim was again found in the Liberty Diner dumpster. Since four bodies had been found in this dumpster but no other site had more than one victim the authorities decided that the killer must have some connection to the Diner. 

In 2017 the victim was not a blond, slightly built, young man but a brunet, 6 foot tall, husky, freshman at the University of Pittsburgh who was found lying in an alley but not hidden in any way. In addition to this change in the yearly killing there was also a possible witness to the murder, 17-year-old Gus Kinney who was found a few feet away from the body with bruises around his neck and unconscious. The police didn’t know if the victim had surprised the Strangler while he was strangling Kinney or if Kinney had come upon the scene and was attacked to silence him. Kinney had been rushed to the hospital and the police were waiting for him to awaken so that they could ask their questions.


	2. Annals of the Liberty Avenue Strangler

The phone rang waking Brian Kinney and his partner, Justin Taylor, from a deep sleep.

“God, its 3:30 AM who could be calling at this time of night?”

“Answer the phone and find out Sunshine.”

“Hello, is Mr. Brian Kinney available? This is Detective Coons of the Pittsburgh police.”

“Yes, just a second. Brian it's the police.”

“Hello, what can I do for you?”

“Mr. Kinney are you the father of Gus Kinney?”

“Yes, what has he done?”

“Nothing Mr. Kinney but he was found unconscious with the body of the latest victim of the Liberty Avenue Strangler. He is at the hospital; can you get down here as soon as possible?”

“Yes we will be there as soon as physically possible. Is Gus OK?”

“I can’t say from a medical point of view but he was attacked by the Strangler. I‘ll see you as soon as you get here. I‘ll be in the 4th floor waiting room.”

“Justin, we have to get to the hospital again. Gus was attacked by the Strangler.”

“OH MY GOD!”

“Justin where are my fucking keys? How can we drive to the hospital if I can’t find my fucking keys? Why was Gus on fucking Liberty Avenue, didn’t he go to Pittsburgh’s Homecoming Game with his boyfriend? When was his curfew? Why wasn’t he home in bed instead of wandering around on Liberty Avenue? Gus knows the rules for November, no slightly built blond person in this household is near Liberty Avenue when it's dark without me being with him. Why couldn’t that boy have taken after me instead of his mother? He could have been a tall dark haired Adonis, but no he had to grow up into a blond, short, adorable twink. Why am I babbling like a fool?”

“Because you are scared to death about Gus’ welfare. Your keys are on the hook by the door. Come here and let me button up your shirt so you don’t look like a 3-year-old who dressed himself for the first time. Calm down Brian we will go get in the car and drive to the hospital. We will find out how Gus is doing and why he was on Liberty instead of home in bed where we thought he was. Gus never missed his curfew before so we went to bed without checking to see if he had gotten home. I think I’ll drive since I don’t want to wind up in the hospital instead of just visiting it. You know Brian if I hadn‘t know it was done out of love I would have resented your November rules.”

“Justin you can drive faster than this.”

“Brian traffic is practically bumper to bumper and I’m going as fast as physically possible. We can’t help Gus if we are in an accident. Brian you have to control your emotions until we find out what is going on with Gus. He will need you to be his strong silent Pop just like you have always been around him.”

“Justin I can’t help but think of the last time we had to go to the hospital to get Gus after the police called.”

“Brian that was a long time ago and a completely different situation.”

“Still I’m glad that Gus was too young to remember that horror. I’m still horrified and all I saw was pictures. Blood everywhere, on everything; Gus was in his high chair in the middle of it for hours. Luckily the neighbor had enough sense to call the police when she heard him crying and couldn’t get the Munchers to answer the door.”

“Brian you aren’t to blame for any of that incident.”

“I should have made that damn Frenchman leave that day.”

“Lindsay told him he could spend the night and find a new place to stay the next day. None of us could have known that he would go crazy and drug Lindsay and Melanie then cut their throats at the supper table, then kill himself with the knife he used to slice the bread. They died knowing that you wanted the best for your son and that you had signed your parental rights over to Melanie so that Gus could be raised by a couple who loved him and each other.”

“I still should have known that bastard would do something and gotten him out of our lives then and there.”

“Brian there was nothing you could have done then and you weren’t to blame then and you aren’t to blame for whatever has happened to Gus tonight. He is the one that went to Liberty Avenue knowing the November rules of the Kinney household.”

“I know that Justin but I still should have done something. I could have hired a bodyguard to follow him everywhere he went. Are we there yet?”

“He would have never spoken to you again if you had hired a bodyguard Brian, the boy is growing up whether we like it or not. The hospital is on the next block Brian, we will know what happened soon enough.”


	3. Annals of the Liberty Avenue Strangler

“Yes sir, may I help you?”

“I’m Brian Kinney where is my son?”

“Mr. Kinney your son is in Room 422 but there is a police detective waiting to talk to you in the waiting room on that floor. The waiting room is next to the elevator doors.”

“Thank you Nurse my partner is very concerned for our son which is why he ran off without thanking you himself.”

“I understand completely, it happens all of the time.”

“How is he, how is Gus?”

“Mr. Kinney I presume? Calm down, the doctors tell me that other than some superficial abrasions and bruises he is ok physically. They are concerned that he hasn’t awakened yet.”

“Can we see him? I need to see him so that I know he is OK. He has always been a deep sleeper and can sleep anywhere anytime ever since he was a baby.”

“Yes Mr. Kinney I’ll take you to his room and once you have seen him we can talk.”

“Sure, sure, take us to him, this is Justin Taylor, my partner and Gus’ Dad.”

“Gus’ room is just down the hallway.”

“Come on Justin don’t dawdle.”

“Brian calm down, Gus is ok.”

“I won’t know that until I can see him. Just to think that fucking bastard had his hands on my Sonnyboy.”

“Calm down Brian you won’t help Gus if you aren’t yourself.”

“Sonnyboy, wake up and tell your Pop what happened. Wake up Gus.”

“Pop what are you doing here? Where is Monty? Where am I? Why am I in the hospital? OH MY GOD NO. Is Monty ok?”

“Gus you have to tell us what you remember about the attack, so that the police can find the son of a mother fucking bastard.”

“Pop how is Monty, you have to tell me. Why isn’t he here? Dad where is Monty?”

“Gus I’m sorry but Monty was killed by the Strangler. What do you remember?”

“But Monty isn’t blond, I’m blond why did he let me go?”

“What do you mean, let you go?”

“I remember getting out of Monty’s car and starting towards his friend’s building. Then I felt something pulling around my neck, I couldn’t breathe and it was hurting. Then I heard some guy say . . ..”

“This is Detective Coons, Gus what did he say?”

“He said . . .”


	4. Annals of the Liberty Avenue Strangler

“Gus what did he say? This is important.”

“Pop he said ‘OH MY GOD NOT YOU.’ He knew who I was. Tell me what happened to Monty? Why is he dead instead of me?”

“Detective Coons what do you know about Monty?”

“Well Mr. Taylor based on what Gus just told us and what we know from the scene my guess is that the Strangler let Gus go for some reason, evidently he knew him, and then the other young man must of come upon the scene. There was a struggle since the victim has bruises on his face and hands in addition to the strangulation marks. We figure that the Strangler must have had to hit him in the face before he was able to overpower him and strangle him. Hopefully the Lab guys will be able to figure some things out from the bruises. Thank you for your help Gus, I need to get back to the scene and tell them what you have told me. Someone will be here in the morning to get an official statement from you. We will do everything possible Mr. Kinney to keep the media away from Gus. You know that since he is the only survivor of a Strangler attack that he will be the bulls eye of their attention though.”

“Thank you Detective, Brian appreciates everything you have and will do for us. His rudeness is directly related to his concern for our son.”

“Good bye gentlemen.”

“Now Gus why were you going to some building on Liberty Avenue instead of coming home? You know full well that in November you don‘t go anywhere near Liberty Avenue without me especially after dark.”

“Pop can’t that wait until morning? Oh God I’m the reason Monty is dead. How will I explain it to his folks?”

“Gus you aren’t to blame for anything, the Strangler is to blame. Why do you Kinneys feel the need to take the blame for everything bad that happens around you?”

“But Dad I was the one who wanted to practice for the King of Babylon contest. Monty just wanted to go dancing after the Homecoming festivities then go home after the dance. It's my fault; if I hadn’t been such an ass about it we wouldn’t have been near Liberty Avenue tonight. I almost begged to get him to agree to work on our stripping routines. He even found a friend who was willing to let us use his apartment while he was out of town.”

“King of Babylon, why would you want to practice for the King of Babylon contest?”

“Because you were King of Babylon when you were my age Dad.”

“Why didn’t you come back to the house, there certainly is room to practice dancing in the basement?”

“I had some other plans as well.”

“What plans that you couldn’t do at the house?”

“This is kind of embarrassing Pop but I planned on busting a few cherries after we got through practicing. We certainly couldn’t do that at Monty’s dorm room and I wasn’t willing to risk doing it at the house.”

“Gus Kinney you are way to young to be having sex.”

“Pop isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black? How old were you when you fucked for the first time?”

“Gus you mind your language.”

“Wasn’t Dad my age when you popped his cherries?”

“That doesn’t matter Gus, just because I did something foolish doesn’t mean that I should be okay with you doing the same foolish thing. I think you had better go to sleep Sonnyboy, we can talk again in the morning.”

“OK Pop, but I hadn’t said anything to Monty I’m not sure he would have done anything with me anyway. I mean I think he liked me a lot and I know I liked him a lot but he might not have found me sexually attractive. He is a college man and I’m just a High School boy. Oh God; I’m to blame for his death.”

“Gus you are not to blame for anything. Hopefully the police will finally be able to catch the bastard because of the information you were able to give. Just close your eyes and go to sleep.”

“Brian if I didn’t realize how much strain you are under I think I would be upset.”

“Why would you be upset Sunshine?”

“You just said that your taking of my virginity was something foolish.”

“I didn’t mean that.”

“I know Brian I’m just trying to lighten the mood somewhat. Do you remember what led up to my winning the King of Babylon contest?”

“I remember everything we’ve done together just like it happened yesterday.”

“Like I believe that line of Kinney.”

“Sunshine have I told you lately how much I love you?”

“Just this morning after our wakeup 69. King of Babylon I’d almost forgot about that, but I wonder did Gus really think he would be able to even get into Babylon to enter the contest. After all they’ve become much stricter about letting under age guys into the club after they almost lost their liquor license for letting minors drink. It always amazed how I was able to drink alcohol in pretty much every liquor establishment we went to back then, my fake ID really wasn‘t that good especially considering I looked like I was 14 most of the time.”

“I’m going to guess he was probably using the whole ‘lets practice stripping for the King of Babylon contest’ as a come on to get into Monty’s pants. He gets the kid down to his underwear and then he gives him a Sunshine smile and cherries get popped. As if a Kinney has to use a come on to get laid. He is going to blame himself for that boy’s death for a long time Sunshine.”

“I know but we will just have to be there to lessen his pain. But I remember that I won that contest simply because you and David got into some stupid argument about Gay society and mores. You egged each other on until neither of you could back down and you both signed up to strip. The two of you were acting like you were 10 and 12 instead of 30 and 40.”

“I was not 30 I was still only 29, and David had to be closer to 50 than to 40. What Mikey saw in that fossil I‘ll never know.”?

“Whatever. While David’s strip was bearable yours was just laughable, I mean Brian a scarecrow could have danced more erotically than you did, swaying from side to side as you take off your clothes is not much of a striptease. Then Michael got snippy about how much better David did than you so I had to challenge him. Mikey might have been your best friend back then but he certainly never taught you how to dance; he made you look like a positively perfect stripper. I of course blew all of you away and won the contest in a landslide. The best part came afterwards when I got my royal reward.”

“Just what, exactly, did you win?”

“Hell I don’t remember what I won from Babylon, what I remember was the fact that the royal sword got sheathed in a totally new scabbard for the first time.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard topping and bottoming described quite that way before.”


	5. Annals of the Liberty Avenue Strangler

“Brian we probably should go home and try to get some sleep. I know that we aren’t going to do that; I’m just pointing out that we should.”

“Sunshine there is no way that I’m leaving this hospital without our son.”

“Then we will have to try to get some rest in the waiting room. We won’t be of any use to Gus, in the morning, if we are totally exhausted.”

“We can try but I doubt that I’ll be able to fall asleep. God Justin the Strangler knew who Gus was. That means we know who the Strangler is.”

“No it doesn’t, practically every fag in the community knows Gus Kinney, son of the King of Liberty Avenue. We certainly didn’t keep him out of sight over the years. We brought him to practically every event either or both of us ever attended over the years. We even took him to Woody’s several times, what were we thinking? Brian you are no more to blame for tonight than Gus is. If you are going to blame yourself then we will never be able to keep Gus from blaming himself. Try to get to sleep.”

“I’ll try Sunshine.”

“That's all I can ask Brian.”

“Justin are you still awake?”

“Yes, what do you want?”

“I’ve been trying to think who we know who could be depraved enough to be the Strangler. The only guy I can think of has been gone from Pittsburgh for years and years though I suppose he could come back just long enough to strangle someone once a year.”

“Brian you have to get over this hatred for David Cameron. He was just as much a victim of Michael‘s greed as anyone else in the group.”

“No he was the cause of it. Mikey was never money grubbing before he fell into the clutches of that manipulative chiropractor.”

“Brian he had been hiding how much he was making for years before he met David. Michael has barely been in our lives since that whole mess so don’t bring him into it in this time of crisis.”

“I know I shouldn’t but Justin he was my best friend for over 16 years I still worry about him sometimes. Then I get so mad I could just . . .”

“Just what?”

“I was going to say strangle him but that isn’t a good joke at this point in time. While it hurt that Mikey lied to me all of those years what really hurt was how much he hurt Deb and Vic with his deceit.”

“I know, Deb dealt with him because she had to but I don’t think that Vic said a word to him up to the day that Vic died.”

“I don’t think Vic resented that Mikey wouldn’t spend the money so much as lying about earning it in the first place. We all had our prejudices about the Big Q Mart so that we didn’t stop to think that the assistant managers, let alone the manager, of such a big successful store would make more money than Mikey led us to believe.”

“Just think if David hadn’t tried to get Michael to move to Portland with him we might have never known about Michael’s years of monetary deceit.”

“I know I did everything I could to get him to go with David. I was being so magnanimous sending my best friend off to the ends of the world for his own romantic good no matter what it did to my emotional stability. How could I have been so foolish as to trust that little pipsqueak? When he finally admitted that he was making too much money as manager of the Big Q Mart to think about giving it all up just because David was having a mid-life crisis was mind blowing. That certainly started the ending of our friendship but his behavior towards you kept putting it on thinner and thinner ice. He just couldn’t admit to himself that I didn’t and wouldn’t ever love him in the way he wanted me to. But when he actually complained that I spent too much time with Gus that was the end of our friendship. He should have known what choice I would make between him and you without adding in Gus as well.”

“It didn’t bother me too much when we didn’t have to see him anymore. He just couldn’t admit that you could change enough to love me and Gus when you could never change enough to fuck him.”

“Justin lets try to get to sleep again, tomorrow is going to be a horrible day, and I just know it. I really don’t know how I’m going to deal with the media.”

“Just treat them like any target audience for one of your campaigns. Decide what they need to know and how you are going to control how they get that limited information.”

“That's brilliant Justin, why didn’t I think of it.”

“Because I’m the brightest person in this relationship.”

“Sunshine I love you, your big ego included, of course that bubble butt you have doesn‘t hurt matters any.”


	6. Annals of the Liberty Avenue Strangler

“Justin I still can’t get to sleep.”

“Brian try thinking about something happy. That always helps me fall asleep.”

“Tell me a happy story Sunshine, you tell them so much better than I do”

“The happiest I’ve ever been was at my Prom.”

“That was a happy time wasn’t it? That week was when I realized how much I loved you and that I could actually tell you that I loved you without the sky falling on our heads.”

“The gang tricked you into going to your birthday party by telling you it was a housewarming.”

“That was sneaky and I’ll bet that you and Deb were the coconspirators.”

“I’ll never say and she is dead, so you will never know for sure; it could have been Emmett.”

“ Hah! Emmett couldn’t keep a secret for 17 seconds let alone 17 years.”

“Anyway you had moved into a new penthouse apartment with 4 bedrooms so you did need to have a housewarming. We all knew you wouldn’t agree to a birthday party so it just developed as a surprise.”

“I didn’t believe that when you told me back then and I don’t believe it today. The Loft was a wonderful home but it simply wasn’t designed for a crawling baby who needed a live in nanny. The several months in the Loft, after I got custody of Gus, before the apartment was available was interesting to say the least. I certainly couldn’t bring tricks home with the Nanny in her curtained off room. I even had to fuck you in the car or a motel since we could never sneak by Deb or Vic in order to use your bedroom there.”

“Back to the story, you didn’t want the housewarming but agreed to it to thank everyone for helping to move you from the Loft to the apartment. It was easy enough to sneak in cake, ice cream, punch, and party hats. You had a good time once you got over your snit and you know it. Why was that the last time you had such a fit about parties?”

“I realized that I wasn’t going to keep Gus from having a happy childhood by never having a party for anything like my parents did to me and Claire. I probably went too far in the other direction though; I think we had a party for every possible occasion on the calendar. Even 6 year Gus thought a party with cake and ice cream on Arbor Day was going too far.”

“Anyway after you ate your sliver of cake and 2 teaspoons of ice cream I asked you if you wanted to go to my Prom. I thought for sure you would laugh in my face or make some lame argument about not wanting to be in the same room as a bunch of fucking 18-year-olds. I almost fell over when you said yes. I never asked but why did you say yes?”

“I just knew that I wanted to make you happy whenever I could and if going to your Prom would make you happy then go to the Prom we would go. Plus I didn’t go to my Prom for obvious reasons, so I thought why not. My only fear was that you would make me dance in front of a room full of fucking 18-year-olds.”

“Daphne couldn’t talk for 5 minutes when I told her that we would be double dating with her and Scott. Luckily, as it turned out, Scott didn’t want to double since he wanted to be able to take Daphne to some Lover’s Lane. So Emmett helped me get ready and you picked me up at Deb’s. My mother, Deb, Vic, and Emmett spent the night playing cards waiting for me to come home and spill the beans about the big dance, they also took care of Gus so that the Nanny could have the weekend off. I’ve always thought that Liberty Diner could have catered a better meal than what we got at that banquet. Then at the Prom we had a great time talking and joking around, I almost thought that you were just another student except that you were so much better looking than anyone else in the room and that you absolutely refused to dance.”

“Sunshine you know how I dance, so you knew full well why I wouldn’t dance in front of all of your classmates.”

“It certainly surprised me how many of them were actually nice to us that night. I was so surprised when the DJ announced a special requested song at the end of the night and you got up and asked me to dance ‘The Last Dance‘. I had forgotten that I had taken ballroom dance at the country club when I was little and I guess they are right when they say that dancing is like riding a bike it comes back to you with the right music. So we danced all over the floor, amazing everyone with the beauty of our dancing, and then you gave me one of the most romantic kisses you have ever given me. Then down on one knee you went, I thought you had fallen for a moment. I almost fainted when I heard you ask me to be your partner and put this ring on my finger. All I could think of was to tell you to get up from there and I gave you a kiss that I’ve never forgotten. I was just stalling for time though. Then someone in the crowd hollered out ’What is your answer, Taylor?’. I said yes and then we kissed again. I was getting light headed from lack of oxygen from all of that passionate kissing but I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy before or since. Why did you ask me, you had been so against me even thinking that we were a couple.”?

“During that week after my birthday party it simply occurred to me that I had told Melanie that I would sign over my parental rights to Gus because he needed to be raised by a couple that loved him and that loved each other. I decided that I loved you; I knew that you loved me, and I knew that we both loved Gus. So I decided why be stupid and pretend that none of that was true and just go ahead a make us a family. I certainly couldn’t think of a more romantic place to ask you than at your Senior Prom with everyone watching. Tells you how limited my imagination was doesn’t it?”

“After everyone who wanted to congratulate us had finished shaking my hand we walked out to the Jeep. We were dancing and singing and having a great time. Just as I was getting in the car I heard a clang of some kind when I looked I saw Chris Hobbs beside a car a few spaces over. I couldn’t help myself and held up my hand and showed him the ring and I asked him if he had heard that you asked me to be your partner. All he said was ‘Congratulations, make sure he treats you right.’ Do you think you can fall asleep now Brian?”

“I hope so that certainly was the long version. Though you did leave out the most interesting part of the story.”

“What did I leave out?”


	7. Annals of the Liberty Avenue Strangler

“You left out what happened at Deb’s when we got there and told them our news.”

“What was so interesting about that?”

“While Deb and Emmett squealing like stuck pigs wasn’t a surprise you can’t lie there in the dark and tell me that you weren’t surprised by your mother’s reaction to the news that I had asked you to be my partner and that you had said yes.”

“I’ll admit that it wasn‘t what I was expecting.”

“I thought I would have to hide behind you for my own protection until she calmed down. I never thought that she would say. ‘Does this mean I get to be Gus’ grandma?’. Then she hugged me so tight I thought my ribs would be crushed. You Taylors have been so good to Gus and me over the years. Your Dad and I haven‘t killed each other so I guess that's good too.”

“Well Brian I hope that stroll down Memory Lane helps you get some sleep before we have to get up in a couple hours.”

“BRIAN ANDREW KINNEY wake up and tell me what has happened to my grandson.”

“Mom, what are you doing here?”

“Where would you expect me to be when I hear on the radio that my youngest grandson was attacked by the Liberty Avenue Strangler? How could you let that boy wander the streets at night especially in November?”

“What time is it? I didn’t let him wander the streets he broke his curfew and purposely didn’t come home for his own reasons. Try not to wake Justin we didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“I’m awake Brian, Hi Mother. Did you have any trouble getting into the hospital?”

“No why should I have had trouble getting in?”

“We are expecting a flood of media once they figure out that Gus is the first witness to a Strangler killing.”

“How is the boy?”

“He is fine physically he has some bruises and abrasions. Psychologically is a different story, his boyfriend was the Strangler victim and Gus blames himself for his death.”

“Why would he do something like that? Since when did he get a boyfriend?”

“Mother he is a Kinney he blames himself for anything bad that happens around him whether it his fault for not. He also was the reason that they were near Liberty Avenue last night. He is going to blame himself for a long time so we are really going to have to support him until he gets over his pain.”

“Well you can count on me and the rest of the Kinney clan to do whatever we can. I imagine that Claire has already started crying her eyes out over her sweet little nephew. Though how she has any tears left after the jag she had when her sweet little nephew told her that he was gay I don‘t know. I’m sure that the boys will help with anything physical you need done. Those two would do anything for Gus, they have been so impressed with him since the day they met him at Jack’ funeral.”

“It surprised me how well you took everything I threw at you that day. I thought for sure you would have a fit.”

“Brian if living with your father for almost 40 years taught me anything it was to deal with the hand you are dealt. Having a fit wouldn’t have changed a thing. You showed up at your father’s funeral with your teenage male partner and a baby. I didn’t want to lose you or your son from my life so why throw a fit. Over the years I’ve been very glad that I didn’t do anything that day that would have forced you to stay out of my life. Gus has been a wonderful grandson and Justin has been a better son-in-law than either of Claire’s husbands. Joshua and Marcus have turned out much better due to the three of you being in their lives.”

“I remember Joshua asking me ‘Uncle Bri can we play with Gus, we will be very careful with him.”

“Then I told you that I would keep an eye on them, after all we were the 4 youngest at the funeral lunch. Marcus asked me ‘Who are you? How do you know Uncle Bri?’ I said I’m Justin and I’m you Uncle’s partner. The two of them then whispered with each other for a while then Marcus said ‘Can we call you Uncle Jus? I said of course you can and then we had a wonderful time playing with Gus. I’ve really enjoyed being around those two as they grew up. It's hard to believe that Joshua is married with a baby girl of his own and that Marcus is a senior at PSU. Mother you better call both of them and tell them to stay where they are, Gus wouldn’t want them to disrupt their lives because of him.”

“Speaking of Gus we had better go check up on him. Maybe he has remembered more about what happened last night”

“OK Son lets go see him.”

“Gus did they give you enough to eat?”

“I’ve heard about your ability to eat Dad so don’t make fun of my big appetite. Hi Pop. Grandma what are you doing here?”

“Where would you expect me to be Gus? I heard about what happened on the radio and here I am. What were you thinking young man?”

“Well Grandma it's embarrassing, I wasn’t really thinking.”

“That's proof that you are a Kinney, thinking with your dick instead of your head.”

“Grandma!”

“Mom!”

“Ha Ha Ha Ha”

“Pop I think that the voice I heard last night was familiar.”


	8. Annals of the Liberty Avenue Strangler

“Do you think you know who it was?”

“No I don’t think so but I’m sure it was somebody that I should have recognized. His voice was kind of whiny and I think he was talking through something, probably a mask. Why was I so stupid? I should have remembered it was November. I was just so horny and I liked Monty so much and I wanted him to be my first and I didn‘t think about it being November. He is dead because of me. ”

“Gus you are not to blame for anything, the Strangler is to blame, so you wanted this boy and you did what you thought would work. You are 17 that's a normal way for you to act but November is not a normal time in the community. You have to quit blaming yourself and try to remember anything more you can so that the police can catch the bastard.”

“Thanks grandma but if hadn’t been for me then Monty would be alive.”

“You can’t think like that Gus, we all have situations in our past where if we had done something different the results would be different but that isn’t how the world works what happens is what you have to deal with not what you wish had happened.

“Grandma I just can’t get over the fact that he is dead because of me.”

“Gus you aren’t alone, everyone in your family will help you. We love you Gus.”

“Mom will you stay with Gus at the house after we take him home?”

“Sure Brian, where will you and Justin be?”

“We’ll be home later but I have some things I need to check out and I’m sure Justin won’t let me go out alone anymore than I would let him go out alone.”

“All right gang the Doctor tells me that Gus can go home. Hospital security tells me that the media is congregating at the front door so Mom you go get your car and go around back. You and Gus can go to your house, Justin and I'll pick you up later and go to the house.”

“Brian I’ll take Gus home with me, you and Justin do what you need to do. Don’t worry about us I think we might make a trip to State College.”

“Brian what's up?”

“Sunshine I have an idea, I hate the idea but it's up to us to catch the Strangler, I just hope I’m wrong. Will you help me?”

“Of course I’ll do what I have to do.”


	9. Annals of the Liberty Avenue Strangler

“Justin you are going to be the bait in my trap to catch the Strangler. That means you will have to be brave. Shit what am I talking about you have always been brave. Ever since you stood up to your Dad that night outside of Woody’s I’ve know that. You threw away everything you knew just to be with me knowing that I wasn’t ready to admit that I loved you and was still trying to push you away when I wasn’t pulling you in to fuck you. Have I ever apologized for being such an inconsiderate asshole?”

“I loved you Brian so there was no thinking about what I was going to do. My Dad was so wrong in so many ways but he was protecting his little boy from a dildo wielding sexual monster.”

“He could have chosen a nicer way of showing his displeasure than kicking me in the ribs and giving you a no win choice. I’m sure glad that the two of you were able to mend your fences. I’m sure that he would still prefer that you be married to anyone other than me, especially a female anyone.”

“Well Duh.”

“Our Wedding was quite the spectacle though. I though Craig would split a gut when you asked him if he would give you away.”

“He should have known I was kidding him. That was a wonderful day though. Why did you finally decide to get married? I was perfectly happy with the relationship we had.”

“Don’t tell him but it was something Gus said to me one day after he came home from school.”

“What did he say that caused that big of a decision on your part.”

“Remember that Pennsylvania had only recently legalized gay marriage. Anyway Gus had come home in tears, some kid had made fun of us and our family status and Gus was very upset. It shows how much times have changed because it wasn’t because we were gay it was because we weren’t married. The kid told Gus he was a bastard because his Pop and Dad weren’t married. My first inclination was to go to the school find out who the kid was and beat his father up. Then I thought, Brian Kinney what would that prove. So I decided that the best solution would be to make you an honest man. Of course I walked on pins and needles worrying if you would say yes, why I worried about that I don’t know but I did. I guess I still didn’t really believe that you loved me and wanted to be with me forever and forever.”

“Our wedding day is probably the 2nd happiest in my life after the Prom. Gus was wonderful as our best man, Marcus and Joshua as the ushers and Molly as the maid of honor. The absolutely best part though was when our mothers gave us to one another and Deb walked up and goosed both of us. Vic would have liked that little touch.”

“Actually I’ve always thought she did that for Vic, I can just seem him betting her that she wouldn’t have the balls to do something like that when I finally came to my senses and married you. Well we had better get back to making our plans for catching the Strangler.”

“Who do you think it is Brian?”

“I don’t want to say because I hope I’m wrong. But we will have to set things up carefully and then follow through. I’m thinking that since Monty didn’t fit any of the Strangler’s hatreds that he will strike again. We will just have to provide him with a victim and catch him in the act. I’ll never let you out of sight but the bastard will have to think that you are alone. Do you think that you will be able to protect yourself long enough for me to get to you once the bastard makes his move?”

“If we can stop this bastard then of course I’ll do what I have to do and knowing that you are on your way will give me the ability to fight off the bastard. Hell after what he has done to Gus I’ll probably break his neck before you can get there. What is the plan?”

 

“First we go to Woody’s and have a fight.”

“What?”


	10. Annals of the Liberty Avenue Strangler

“Justin it's all your fault. If you had just made the boy behave he wouldn’t have been in danger.”

“As if you would have backed me up when he told me to screw myself. You always let him do anything he wanted to do when he wanted to do it. If he wanted to go walking on Liberty in November nothing I could have done would have kept him home. He is a true Kinney; all he is interested in is getting his dick sucked or up an asshole. The hell with his safety and the fear he caused us.”

“Don’t try to put the blame onto me you little twink, it was your job to look after the boy.”

“Fuck Brian you aren’t blaming me for this disaster, I’m going home and you better find somewhere else to sleep, that shouldn’t be hard for you to do. I’m sure there is a guy or two willing to share his bed with Brian Kinney.”

“Justin don’t do this or I might never come home.”

“I couldn’t be that lucky.”

“I see that little twink is still trying to blame you for everything that goes wrong.”

“Fuck off Mikey, we aren’t friends any more.”

“Hell Brian we are always going to be friends, I still love you, always have always will. Justin never understood that you couldn’t change your ways. It surprises me that he took this long to figure it out.”

“Leave me alone Mikey I love Justin we are just under a lot of pressure. That fucking Strangler almost killed my little boy. Oh yeah you resent the time I spend with my son. Just go away Mikey and count your money.”

“Fuck you Kinney, you didn’t tell me to go away when I was putting you back together after your Dad tore you apart. But yeah you are under a lot of stress so I'll forgive your comments, that's what best friends do. I‘ll let you go though, remember you need to find a bed for the night since the twink threw you out of your own house.”

“Just mind your own business Mikey, that doesn’t include me or Justin. We love each other, he is just stressed and we'll be back to normal tomorrow.”

“You might think so Brian but I wouldn’t count on it if I were you.”

“What does that mean Mikey?”

“Nothing.”


	11. Annals of the Liberty Avenue Strangler

“Where the hell is my car? How can I get home if I can’t find the fucking car? Shit I’m lost in November in the Liberty Avenue community and I have blond hair. If I weren’t so god damn fucking mad at Brian I would be scared out of my wits. Why am I talking to myself?”

“Yes Sunshine why are you talking to yourself?”

“Michael why are you out here instead of home counting your money?”

“Shit Justin you shouldn’t be worrying about that.”

“Why not that's all you are interested in isn’t it Michael? You broke your mother and Vic’s hearts over you hiding your money didn’t you?”

“No Justin you shouldn’t be worrying about whether I hurt my mother or Uncle Vic you should be worrying about being the 2017 blond, slightly built victim of the Liberty Avenue Strangler, you really don’t fit the young part of the description anymore.”

“What the fuck are you saying Michael? You want me to be afraid that the Strangler is lurking around here or that you are the Strangler?

“Look you fucking little blond twink that ruined my life. I’ve killed 17 men because I couldn’t hurt you because that would have hurt Brian. I had to release my anger somehow so strangling guys that resembled you did the job. But Brian doesn’t care about you anymore so I can kill you tonight and he will hardly shed a tear. Then he will come to me for comfort just like he always did. I didn’t kill Gus because I knew how much it would hurt Brian though the little brat deserved it for being stupid enough to be on Liberty in November looking so much like you.”

“Michael I can’t believe any of this. You're the Strangler that's unbelievable, no one is going to believe it when I tell them.”

“What makes you think that you are going to have the chance to tell them?”

“Michael, you little wimp, you can’t take me with me knowing that you are going to try. I’m too close to Woody’s for you to sneak up on me before I can get to safety. You’ve lost and you are going to fry in hell forever. I’m just glad that Deb and Vic don’t have to know what a monster you are.”

“You think so do you. How do you think I managed to kill 17 guys before this, most of whom were bigger than you, that I caught them all by surprise? Hell no Justin I didn’t have to sneak up on them from behind I just managed to get a loop over their heads and pull tight. Being able to throw a lasso has more uses than one would think. So Justin Taylor you will soon be out of my life and Brian will be in my arms seeking solace.”

“I’m really scared Michael, even if you do kill me Brian won’t be anywhere near you seeking solace. He might be getting solace by beating the shit out of you though. “

“Why would he do that he won’t know who killed you anymore than the police know who killed the last 17 Strangler victims.”

“But Mikey I’m smarter than the police. You should have known that. I don’t want to hurt you for old times sakes, but Mikey I'll beat the shit out of you if you even try to move closer to Justin or try to run away.”

“Brian how did you know?”

“I didn’t until Gus told me that the Strangler knew who he was and that he was whiny. I was hoping that I was wrong but everything just fell together. We just put the bait in front of you and you couldn’t help yourself. If you hadn’t felt the need to brag to Justin you might have gotten away since I didn’t get here as soon as I wanted to. I had to fight off too many guys offering to share their bed with me. But brag you did and it cost you. Do you have anything to say for yourself, not that you can say anything that matters.”

“Brian why couldn’t you see that this fucking twink had disaster written all over him from the moment you saw him under that lamp post. I tried to warn you but you wouldn’t listen. You can’t be happy with one guy even if you think you are.”

“Michael you truly are delusional.”

“Brian lets just get the police here and go home.”

“Don’t bother with the police guys; they can’t get here soon enough to matter.”

“Shut the fuck up Mikey you aren’t going anywhere.”

“You're sure Brian, I’m going somewhere, whether it's hell or heaven I don’t know. Everyone always thought that I was a loser but do you think I was stupid enough to not make plans in case I ever got caught. I’m told that the poison I just took is very fast acting and painless. Good bye Brian I love you, always did but I guess I won’t anymore.”

“Michael you little fool, why couldn’t you just admit that I didn’t love you that way. You should have gotten help. I did love you until you made me choose between you and Justin.”

“Brian he is just bluffing, keep an eye on him. I’ll go call the police.”

“Don’t bother Justin, he isn’t bluffing.”

“What do you mean Brian?”

“Just that he really has taken poison and it's taking effect. You better go call 911 and get an ambulance just in case he didn’t take a lethal dose.”

“Brian it's best that he died. That way he was spared the agony of a trial and the misery of being in jail.”

I know Sunshine but it's hard to admit that he's gone though I suppose my Mikey died years ago when he let jealousy of you drive him insane enough that he felt the need to kill guys that just resembled you.”

“Brian we'll bury the old Michael and you can keep the memories of Mikey in your heart.”


End file.
